Clarkson Memorial

The Clarkson Memorial, Wisbech

The Clarkson Memorial in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, England commemorates Thomas Clarkson (1760 – 1846), a central figure in the campaign against the slave trade in the British empire, and a former native of Wisbech.

The memorial consists of statue mounted on a platform. Above this, rises a canopy, in the form of a spire. The whole structure is 68 feet (20.6 m) high. On three of the four sides are carved bas-reliefs, representing William Wilberforce and Granville Sharp, both prominent figures in the campaign against the slave trade, and a manacled slave in a beseeching attitude. The fourth side bears an inscription to the memory of Clarkson.

History

The Memorial is in Bridge Street, on the South Brink of the River Nene. It is on the site of the old Customs House, built in 1801, which itself replaced the Butter Market. In 1856 the Old Bridge was rebuilt, and the Customs House pulled down to make way for the bridge improvements. In 1880, when work started on the Clarkson Memorial the location was chosen because of its central position.

The Clarkson Memorial cost £2,035, and was paid for primarily by a large donation from the Peckover family, local Quaker philanthropists. The shortfall was made up by public subscriptions. Work started on 28 October 1880 and the statue was unveiled on 11 November 1881.

The original design was an adaption of one by Sir George Gilbert Scott RA, who first put forward his design in 1875. A four year renovation project was completed in 2011 and a new supplicant panel installed to coincide with the 130th anniversary of the building of the monument. ^[1] The monument is also used as the saluting point for the Remembrance Day parade.

External links

• Clarkson Memorial at Night

Coordinates: 52°39′53″N 0°09′30″E / 52.664689°N 0.158414°E / 52.664689; 0.158414

References

1. ^ Wisbech Standard August 2011